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Job Hunting with Least Effort
What would you do in the following situations?
You've to reach the 10th floor in an office tower. You can go by two ways:
a. Climb up the stairs
b. Use an elevator
You want to write a message to your friend. You can write in two ways:
a. Send a handwritten letter by post
b. Send an e-mail
You want to withdraw money. You can do so in two ways:
a. Visit a bank
b. Use an ATM
There is nothing tricky about these questions, and the answers are so
obvious. Can you, however, see the not-so-obvious phenomenon underlying
our everyday choices? We like to spend least possible effort to accomplish
our objectives.
Our tendency to spend least effort is so strong that most of the
technologies, products and services are aimed at helping us achieve just
that: least effort! Behind the auto-redial function on phones, Internet
banking and ready-made food stuff is our basic need to minimise the
effort.
The hiring process is not immune to our nature to spend least effort. The
only catch is that when job seekers take the path of least effort, they
invariably create a path of more effort for the employers and that doesn’t
work. On the other hand, when job seekers consciously enable the employers
to follow the path of least effort, they stand to gain. Here is how it
works:
Resume
As a job seeker, the natural inclination is to prepare a resume as fast as
possible and shoot it out to as many employers as possible. When you do
that you create two problems:
First, a resume prepared in a hurry is likely to be long, complicated,
unfocused, and may contain mistakes. Second, a generic resume fails to
connect with the unique needs of different employers. When recruiters look
at such resumes, they are unable to figure out candidates’ suitability as
quickly and clearly as they would like to do. As a result, hurriedly
prepared, generic resumes go to the rejection pile.
The smartness lies in spending more effort in preparing your resume so
that employers spend least effort while dealing with it. Specifically,
that means:
tailoring your resume according to each employer’s unique needs
keeping it short—2 pages or 3 pages (max.)
ensuring it contains only the relevant information
keeping it simple, credible and without any mistakes
Interview
Job seekers appear at interviews expecting employers to question them and
assess their suitability. But when you follow this common approach, you
demand more effort from employers. They have to first dig out all the
relevant information from you, and then make an assessment whether you fit
into their needs.
On the contrary, if you take the initiative during an interview to show
your understanding of employer’s needs and then demonstrate how you can
fulfil them, you take them along the path of least effort. And employers
would prefer such candidates.
Job hunting
Typically, job seekers focus on job openings advertised in the newspapers
or on the Internet. For employers, however, the route of advertising
vacancies, then getting flooded with applications and interviewing scores
of candidates is a route of “more effort.”
A quick way to find a job would be to get in touch with potential
employers either through contacts or directly. That way, you’ll save them
the extra effort. That’s the reason why many smart job seekers get jobs by
networking or showing the guts to approach employers directly.
The bottom line: To enjoy success in the job market, consciously help
potential employers to take the path of least effort. Invariably, this
would mean making more effort on your side at every stage of the hiring
process. But isn’t that extra effort worth it if it helps to shorten your
job search?
Copyright © 2006 by Atul Mathur
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Writers
Profile
Atul Mathur is the author of three
ebooks: 5 Quick Steps to a New Job, The Best Career Move: Know Yourself
and The Secret of Finding the Right Career Direction. He also writes
Career Tips, a free monthly newsletter dedicated to career development.
Web site:
http://atulmathur.com
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